more.”
“Well, that’s a warning at the least,” Aram said, grim. “Gerod is looking into it?”
“Yes, but I haven’t spoken to him. I only found out just before the council. Do you want me to now?”
“I’ll do it. Who else knows about the poison?”
“No one,” Corin said automatically, before remembering the woman. He decided not to bother his father about it until there was a reason. Berk was generally reliable about people.
“Have you suspicions?”
“One always thinks of Arnet,” Corin said. “Especially since Cade was a hanger-on of his. But I’ve no grounds for it. I wonder now if Hadon was involved, but we can’t assume it wasn’t connected to the Sarians.” It was quite possible they were in the pincers of two empires. “Or the princes, if either one of them is leagued with Tyrekh.”
“Odd that it happened the day after you came back,” Aram said.
“The day after you set Joce to looking,” Corin reminded him. “He may have stirred something up without even knowing it.”
Aram swore softly. He turned his own head toward the windows. Corin went as quiet as he could, watching his father think. He thought there was more to it than ordinary worry. He wondered if Joce had reported the burns.
Then the king stood up. “I need to tell your mother.” A pause. “Corin, I would rather not say this, but I must. War is not a time to toy with men’s loyalties. Break it off with Seana.”
A week ago, a month ago, he would have resented it. He said, “I have. You needn’t worry.” Already she seemed a part of his distant past.
“Good,” Aram said. “I’m sending you out the rest of the day. Be in my receiving room in fifteen minutes in your riding leathers.”
Corin could not help looking regretfully at the water on the windows, but he knew an order when he heard one. He nodded.
He arrived punctually for a change. The guards outside the door came to attention, and one of them said, “He’s expecting you, sir.” He pushedthe door open and shut it behind him as quietly as he could, then halted. Once again his hand went to his knife hilt.
“No need, Corin,” Aram said, notwithstanding the dragonrider standing beside him.
Corin’s usual wariness at dragonriders was even stronger now, and he looked closely at the man. The rider returned an equally careful, inspecting look. Then he dropped formally to one knee and said, “My Lord Prince.”
Well, I will never be surprised by anything again, Corin thought, staring. Dragonriders did not kneel for anyone, not even the Emperor.
The man cupped his hands, the sign of a Basilisk.
I obey him unchangingly. Return to your master.
There had been a code in that, and he should have seen it. Mark that one up as a loss. He gestured the man to rise and said to Aram, “I think I will stop playing cards against you.”
“I’m sure you hold some cards to your chest equally well,” Aram said calmly. Which was another one of his damnably effective tricks, to make you think he knew your secrets already. But Corin had experienced that enough times not to rise to it.
“Did the Emperor send you,” he asked the rider, “or did you steal a dragon?”
“I volunteered,” the rider said. “No one else wanted to bring that news. I’m a real dragonrider, my lord, that’s not something one can pretend.” He sounded Mycenean. Aram had to have placed him there years ago, when the man was fifteen or sixteen, all to have this opportunity now. It was a brilliant move, and one that would cost Aram his throne if Hadon ever found out. He could not have risked it with any man other than a Basilisk.
The king said, “I can tell you more later. Your sister is unhurt and well treated. We haven’t much time. How would you like to ride a dragon?”
The leather clothes, which had been uncomfortably hot in the palace, were barely warm enough at this height, and even in gloves his fingertips were numb. He understood with his body now why it was that the
“Well, that’s a warning at the least,” Aram said, grim. “Gerod is looking into it?”
“Yes, but I haven’t spoken to him. I only found out just before the council. Do you want me to now?”
“I’ll do it. Who else knows about the poison?”
“No one,” Corin said automatically, before remembering the woman. He decided not to bother his father about it until there was a reason. Berk was generally reliable about people.
“Have you suspicions?”
“One always thinks of Arnet,” Corin said. “Especially since Cade was a hanger-on of his. But I’ve no grounds for it. I wonder now if Hadon was involved, but we can’t assume it wasn’t connected to the Sarians.” It was quite possible they were in the pincers of two empires. “Or the princes, if either one of them is leagued with Tyrekh.”
“Odd that it happened the day after you came back,” Aram said.
“The day after you set Joce to looking,” Corin reminded him. “He may have stirred something up without even knowing it.”
Aram swore softly. He turned his own head toward the windows. Corin went as quiet as he could, watching his father think. He thought there was more to it than ordinary worry. He wondered if Joce had reported the burns.
Then the king stood up. “I need to tell your mother.” A pause. “Corin, I would rather not say this, but I must. War is not a time to toy with men’s loyalties. Break it off with Seana.”
A week ago, a month ago, he would have resented it. He said, “I have. You needn’t worry.” Already she seemed a part of his distant past.
“Good,” Aram said. “I’m sending you out the rest of the day. Be in my receiving room in fifteen minutes in your riding leathers.”
Corin could not help looking regretfully at the water on the windows, but he knew an order when he heard one. He nodded.
He arrived punctually for a change. The guards outside the door came to attention, and one of them said, “He’s expecting you, sir.” He pushedthe door open and shut it behind him as quietly as he could, then halted. Once again his hand went to his knife hilt.
“No need, Corin,” Aram said, notwithstanding the dragonrider standing beside him.
Corin’s usual wariness at dragonriders was even stronger now, and he looked closely at the man. The rider returned an equally careful, inspecting look. Then he dropped formally to one knee and said, “My Lord Prince.”
Well, I will never be surprised by anything again, Corin thought, staring. Dragonriders did not kneel for anyone, not even the Emperor.
The man cupped his hands, the sign of a Basilisk.
I obey him unchangingly. Return to your master.
There had been a code in that, and he should have seen it. Mark that one up as a loss. He gestured the man to rise and said to Aram, “I think I will stop playing cards against you.”
“I’m sure you hold some cards to your chest equally well,” Aram said calmly. Which was another one of his damnably effective tricks, to make you think he knew your secrets already. But Corin had experienced that enough times not to rise to it.
“Did the Emperor send you,” he asked the rider, “or did you steal a dragon?”
“I volunteered,” the rider said. “No one else wanted to bring that news. I’m a real dragonrider, my lord, that’s not something one can pretend.” He sounded Mycenean. Aram had to have placed him there years ago, when the man was fifteen or sixteen, all to have this opportunity now. It was a brilliant move, and one that would cost Aram his throne if Hadon ever found out. He could not have risked it with any man other than a Basilisk.
The king said, “I can tell you more later. Your sister is unhurt and well treated. We haven’t much time. How would you like to ride a dragon?”
The leather clothes, which had been uncomfortably hot in the palace, were barely warm enough at this height, and even in gloves his fingertips were numb. He understood with his body now why it was that the
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